Emulsifier



April 30, 1940. HAYES 2,198,614

EMULSIFIER Filed Feb. 8, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 30, 1940.

J. B. HAYES 2,198,614

EMULSIFIER Filed Feb. 8, 1937 2 Shoots-Shoo; 2

Patented Apr. 30, 1940 I 2,198,614

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

James Burton 11!. Application 8,( No. 124,750

This invention relates to an emulsorand more the reconstruction of milk products from butter particularlyto an emulsor producing a uniform and milk powder for homogenizing the reconcontrolled particle size in the constituents of the structed product to-ofitain a uniform controlled emulsion. Even more particularly this invention size of particle.

relates to an emulsor for use in the reconstruc- All communities now require milk and cream 5 tion of milk and cream products from the septo be pasteurized before sale and most require arated and, in some instances, desiccated compasteurization of butter fats before making butponents of whole milk. ter. It is therefore .apparent that means for pas- Many methods are known for separating whole teurizing the butter and powdered milk beforemilk into its component parts of fats. salts and reconstruction would be of the greatest utility 10 water. When so separated the fats may be and importance when incorporated with the churned to produce butter and the balance of means utilized in the reconstruction. It is furthe whole milk, or skimmed milk as it is called, ther apparent that this pasteurization must be may be desiccated by any of known processes to closely controlled to eliminate any scorching of i5 obtain powdered milk. The ingredients of whole the butter-powdered milk mix before reconstrucl5 milk in the form of' butter and powdered milk tion. 7 keep better than the whole milk and occupy less I have found that milk and cream products storage space as the water of the whole milk is may be reconstructed from a mix of proper proremoved. It is well known that butter fats in portions of butter. skimmed milk powder and the form of butter sell at prices below those of water by subjecting the mix to pasteurizing temm butter fats in the form of cream and that peratures and then passing the mix under uniskimmed milk in the powdered form sells at form pressures up to 700 lbs. per square inch prices below those of liquid milk. It is therefore through a plurality of small passages to a series apparent'that if a means be had to reconstruct of baiiles, the size andhomogeneity of the particream and milk products from butter and cles in the reconstructed product being accuu skimmed milk powder a substantial savings will rately controlled by appropriate variation of the result. pressure and the number of bailles.

The utility of a means for reconstructing milk It is accordingly an object of this invention to products from butter and milk powder is not p v n emulsor which w l e and con- 0 only found in the saving that results as against trol the size of the particles in an emulsion to give the purchase of cream and milk on the market but particles of desired uniform size.- also in the control to be had over the percentages Another object of this invention is to provide of the ingredients in the reconstructed product. an emulsor which may be used in the reconstruc- For instance, cereal cream should contain 12% to tion of milk products from the separated com- 15% butter fat while coflee cream is most satponents of whole milk. 35

isfactory when it contains from 20% to 22% but- Another object of this invention is to provide ter fat. Any butter fat in the product designed an emulsor which may be used in the reconstrucfor these uses over these percentages is waste. tion of milk products from the separated com- By varying the amounts of butter used in the reponents of whole milk to produce milk products construction the percentage of butter fat in the substantially identical in character with the 0 product may be controlled and a substantial .savwhole milk.

ings had. Further such a means for reconstruct- Another. object 0 this invention is to Provide lng milk and cream would-be of the utmost utilan emuls r wh h may be us d in t e onstru V ity in cases where a patient of known fat tolertion of milk prod from butter and P r 5 ances is under treatment. By proper variation milk in which the perc a f fats nd sal 5 of the percentages of the butter and powdered used may be Controlled. milk used a product could be produced to meet Anot bjec of this invention i o p o ide these tolerances. an emulsor for the reconstruction of milk prod- Many dairies and ice cream plants as well as ucts from butter and powd r k y whi h other users of large quantities of milk and creamthe particle size in the emulsion may be reg'u- 50 customarily homogenize their milk and cream to lated. Y I give it a uniform particle size with resulting ben- I Ano h r je f this invention is to pr vi efits as is well known to the art. It is therefore an emulsor for the reconstruction of milk prodapparent that it would be of the greatest aducts from butter andpowdered milk which will vantage and importance to provide a means in. produce a uniform particle size in the emulsion.

an emulsor for the reconstruction of milk products from butter, powdered milk and water which will pasteurize the butter-powdered milk-water mix before reconstruction by direct heating with an electric coil.

A further object of this invention is to provide an emulsor which reconstructs milk products from butter, powdered milk and water by finely dividing the mix of butter. powdered milk and water while under pressure.

A further object of this invention is to provide an emulsor which reconstructs milk products from butter. powdered milk and water by forcing the mix of butter, powdered milk and water through a plurality of small jets while subjectedto a uniform pressure.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an emulsor which is readily dismounted for cleaning and sterilizing.

A further object of this invention is to provide an emulsor which is compact, simple in design, uniform in operation, and has a minimum of movable parts.

Other and further objects of this invention will appear as the description proceeds.

While this invention is capable of many uses 7 and embodiments it will be described with particular reference to its use in the reconstruction of milk products. Description of the invention for this use should not be construed as a limitation of the scope of the present in ention and reference should behad to the appended claims for this purpose.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view of one embodiment of my novel emulsor showing the relative positions of the several parts, the mixing tank being cut away to show the position of the heating coils, mixer and heat controls therein; I

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional elevation of one em-.- bodiment of my novel jet block'showing the relative positions of jets and rotor bailies;

Fig. 3 is a view partly in section of one embodiment of my novel preliminary breaker which may be used in conjunction with the embodiment of the jet block shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 showing the position of the several jets; Y

Fig. 5 is a detailed showing of one embodiment of my novel rotors used in the baiiles; and

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional elevation of another embodiment of my novel jets that may be used in place of the jets and rotor bames of Fig. 2.

With reference to the several figures in which like reference characters indicate like parts and more particularly with reference toFlg. 1, III is a mixing tank of any suitable size and construction and made of any suitable material and lined wth glass if desired. Carried by the sides of tank ID are trunnions Ii received by trunnion caps l2 which. are mounted on any suitable frame I. to-

allow tank III to be tilted for emptying and cleaning. Associated with frame II is a latch I 4 designed to hold tank I0. in an upright position until released. A cover I! is carried by tank l0 and is secured to tank in by a plurality of lock bolts l8 forming an air tight joint with tank II. Cover I! is designed to be easily removed from tank III and to this end a counterweight I I is provided. Counterweight I! is joined to cover I! by a flexible cable It, secured to counterweight and to the center of a triangular plate I! which is in turn connected at its three corners to cover ID by chains 20. Cable l8 passes over rollers 2| carried by a cross bar 22 which is mounted on a vertical extension 23 of the frame I! to give the necessary counterweight action.

Mounted in the center of cover It isan electric motor 24 of any suitable horse power and responsive to direct or alternating current as the local conditions may dictate. Shaft 25 of motor 24 passes through cover I. Mounted on an ex-' tension 21 of shaft 25 are three agitators 28 which are angularlydisplaced one with respect to the other and may vary in number and size with the size of tank III. Agitators 28 are designed to force the mixture in the center of tank ill in a downward direction and to force the mixture upward along the sides of tank III. A temperature responsive thermostatic switch 28 of any suitable design and construction is mounted ad- Jacent motor 24 on cover I5. Thermostatic switch 29 is actuated by temperature responsive fluids or gases contained in a U tube 30 which is in communication with thermostatic switch-28 and located within the tank III. Tube 30 passes through cover l5 and is carried thereby forming an air-tight seal with cover I! through the medium of any suitable packing 3i.

Carried by cover It and arranged near the walls of tank ID are heating coils 32 designed to heat the circulating mix to pasteurizationtemperatures. The number and size of these coils depend upon the size of tank I0. Preferably these coils consist of a tube of suitable heat conducting metal within which is carried the heating filament packed in magnesium oxide. The areas of the surfaces of the tubes are chosen with consideration to the amount of heat radiated from the walls of tank l0 and to the rate of circulation of the mix so that the temperature of the coil is never greater than 15 F. above that ofthe mix and burning of the mix is prevented. With this type of heating coil about one-half an hour is required to raise the mix to pasteurizing temperatures in the neighborhood'of F. Further with this type of heating coil as determined by the rate of circulation of the mix andthe radiation from the walls of the tank a substantially equal temperature is maintained at all times throughout the body of the mix with variations in temperature not exceeding .2 F. The electrical leads of the heating coils 32 are led to thermostatic switch 28. Electric current to supply motor 24 and heating coils 32 is brought from any suitable source of supply by a conduit 33.

A thermometer 34 of any desired size and'construction is carried by cover IS, the thermometer tube 25 passing through cover i8 and down into tank l0 terminating adjacent the bottom of tank l0. Tube 25 forms an air-tight joint with cover It.

Any suitable filling and inspection hole is let into cover l5 and when not in use is closed by a 'cap 26 which forms an air-tight seal with cover suitable air-tight and readily dismountable joint 38 is a T-shaped coupling 39 closed at one end by a removable cap 48, and designed to carry any suitable filtering means. The outlet of coupling 39 is connected to the intake of any suitable type of pump 4| through dismountable joints 42 and 43 and pipe 44. Pump 4| must be readily disassembled for cleaning and sterilizing purposes. Pump 4| is mounted on any suitable portion 45 of frame I3 and is driven by any suitable motor 46 supplied with current from any suitable source mounted on frame I3 through the medium of any suitable belt'4'| and pulley 48. The exhaust port or pump 4| is connected to a T-shaped coupling 49 by a pipe 58 and dismountable joint 6|. Any suitable readily dismountable by-pass assembly 62 is provided between pipes 44 and 68 including an adjustable pressure responsive valve 53 of any suitable construction to insure a constant pressure at the exhaust port of pump 4| which may be varied in amplitude by proper adjustment of valve 63.

One end 54 of coupling 49 is connected by any suitable dismountable pipe and joint assembly 55 The other end to a pressure responsive gauge 56. 61 0! coupling 49 is chambered as at 58 to form one end of the jet block housing. A sleeve member 59 engages chambered portion 58 to form the walls of the jet block housing. A cap 68 engages the other end of sleeve 59 to form the opposite end of the jet block housing. From cap 68 a pipe 6| leads through a dismountable joint 62 to a tank 63. From tank 63 a pipe 64 leads to any suitable cooling coils 65 which discharge through pipe 66 into any suitable container 61.

With more particular reference to Fig. 2, 49 is a T-shaped coupling, as above described, connected to the exhaust port of pump 4| through the joint 5|. End 54 of coupling 49 leads to a pressure responsive gauge 56 as described. The opposite end 51 of coupling 49 is chambered at 68 to form one end of. the jet block housing. Engaging chamber 58 as by threads 6| is a sleeve member 59 formed with an annular shoulder 62 at its upper end. Mounted within sleeve member 59 and supported between chamber 58 and shoulder 62 is a jet plate 63 and a plurality of bafile plates 64. Interposed between jet plate 63 and the end of chamber 58 is a gasket 65 to insure a fluid-tight joint between chamber 58 and sleeve member 59 and to act to firmly engage the several baifie plates and the jet plate one with the other when sleeve member 59 is screwed down on chamber 58. Cap 68 engages sleeve member 59 through threaded portion 66, a gasket 61 acting to insure a fluid-tight joint between cap 68 and sleeve member 59.

With reference to Figs. 2 and 4, jet plate 63 comprises a plurality of small holes 68 arranged concentrically around the center of the jet plate 63, the number of these holes depending upon the amount of the mix it is desired to pass in a given period of time. Holes 68 are enlarged as at 69 to provide an explosion chamber for each 0! holes 68. e

The number of battle plates 64 used is determined by the particle size desired and the pressure utilized. The greater the number of baflle plates and the higher the pressure, the smaller the size or the particles. Each bafile plate 64 comprises a plurality oi passages I8. the center 01' each passage I8 being aligned with the center of the corresponding set of holes 68 and 69 in jet plate 63. Each passage I8 is tapered at its outlet end as at 1|. Tapered portion II may be used to provide a bearing for bai'lle rotors I2 which may be used in conjunction with baflle plates 84 i1- desired, one rotor being located in each passage I8. Each 01' baille rotors 12 (see. Fig. 5) comprises an oblong bar 18 of suitable material square at one end I4 and rounded across the smaller sides I5 to fit the curveot passages 18. The opposite end I6 of rotor 12 is pointed as at' 'I 'l, point 11 falling in the .axis of rotation 01' rotor 12. The larger sides I8 01' rotor 12 are hollowed out as at I8 to form a trough extending from adjacent point I1 01 end 16 down the length of rotor 12 to end 14. Rotors 12 are placed in passages 18 so that squared ends 14 engage the bearings formed by tapered portion II of passages 18.

Fig. 3 discloses a preliminary breaker 88 which may be used in conjunction with the jet plate 68 and baiiie plates 64 as above described with ref.- erence to Fig. 2. Breaker 88 is designed to fit within the chamber 58 with its base 8| adjacent jet plate 63 and its point 82 extending into coupiing 49. Breaker 88 comprises a cylindrical base portion 83 of diameter equal to that of chamber 58 adjacent jet plate 63 and a conical head 84 designed to engage the sloping walls 85 of chamber 58. Cut into base 83 are a plurality of circumferential grooves 86 with corresponding lands 8! between them. Cut into lands 81 are a plurality of parallel grooves 88 of small size. Head 84 is grooved as at 89 to form a plurality of circumferential grooves having parallel bases 98 with walls 9| at right angles thereto..

Fig. 6 discloses another embodiment of my novel jet which may be used in place oi jet plate 63 and baiiie plates 64 shown in Fig. 2. One or more jets 92 may be mounted in a common plate by screw threads 93 and this plate secured across chamber 58 by shoulder 62 as above described with reference to jet plate 63 and baille plates 64. Jet 92 comprises a cylindrical body member 94 centrally bored as at 95 to form a cylindrical chamber extending the length of body 94. Body 94 is reduced in diameter as at 96 and threaded as at 91 to receive a base member 98 which is centrally bored as at 99 and communicates with chamber 95 through passag I88. The opposite end of body 94 is reduced in diameter as at IM and threaded at I82 to receive a cap member I83. Cap I83 is ported as at I84. End I85 of body 94 is chambered at I86. A jet plate I81 is-clamped between end I85 and cap I83. Jet plate I8'I is chambered at I88. Chambers I86 and I88 are in communication through a plurality of small holes I89 letthrough jet plate I81. Positioned within chamber 95 are a plurality of ball members II8 separated from jet plate I81 by a'spring III. Ascreen H2 and a spring II3 are arranged between ball members H8 and the opposite end of chamber 95, the entire assembly within chamber 95 being free to move within chamber 95.

Suppose the embodiment of the present invention be set up as in Fig. l and suppose a mix in desired proportions of butter fat. powdered milk and water be place in tank I8. Then to. put the device in operation conduit 33 leading to thermostatic switch 29 must be connected to a suitable source of electrical energy and the thermostatic switch 29 closed. After thermostatic switch 29 is closed motor 24 is started and agitators 28 are rotated to force the mix past heating coils 32. when thermostatic switch 29 is closed it closes the electrical circuit to heating c'oils 32 and the filaments therein start to heat. Agitation and heating oi the mix is continued until the mix reaches a pasteurizing temperature or about F. As was stated above this temperature is reached after. about one-half an hour. when this temperature is reached the temperature re.-

to motor 48 and pump 4| is started. The action.

of pump 4| draws the pasteurized and stirred mix up through pipe 81 and the filter located in casing 38. From casing 88 the mix passes through pipe.

44 into pump 4|. From pump 41 the mix isforced under pressures up to 700 lbs. per square inch depending on the particle size desired through 1 pipe 58 into casing 48. If the pressure forcing the mix into casing 48 is greater than the pressure for which the pressureresponsive valve 88 is set valve 82 will open' and a portion of the mix will be by-passed through pipe 82 to pipe 44 until the pressure in casing 48 is reduced to such an extent that valve 63 will close. For instance, if a coffee cream mix of from 20-22% butter fat is being emulsified, pressures from 200-240 lbs. per square inch may be used; or if a whipping cream mix of higher butter fat content and more than 32% is being emulsified, pressures from 25-100 lbs. per square inch may be used, while an ice cream mix of desired percentages of ingredients may require pressures up to 700 lbs. per square inch. This insures an almost constant controlled pressurein casing 48 and, as above described, a means for determining the particle size in the emulsion. Pressure in casing 48 is transmitted through end 84 to actuate the pressure gauge 88. The mix passes into end 51 of casing 48 and into chamber 58, From chamber 58 the mix is finely divided by being forced through the small holes 88 in jet plate 83. These holes 88 act to break up the mix, reduce particle size, and intimately associate the several components-of the mix. From holes 88 the particles of the mix under pressure abruptly.

enter larger passages 88 where by reason of the pressure to which .they are subjected and by reason of the compressive action of holes 88 the particles of the mix explode forming smaller particles and more intimately associating the components of the mix. From passages 88 the more intimately associated particles of the mix now reduced greatly in size pass to the corresponding passages 18 in the first baille plate 84. When rotors 12 are used in passages 18 their squared ends 14 are positioned by the tapered portions ll of passages 18. The mix under pressure flows through passages 18 until the rotors 12 are reached. Here the points 11 of rotors 12 act to divide the streams of, the mix and force them to pass on both sides of the rotors 12. under pressure and through grooves '18 rotates the rotors 12 by reason of variations in the effective pressure'of the mix acting at the sides thereof, or eddying of the mix, or both. Rotation of rotors 12 acts to more finely divide the particles of the mix by squeezing and crushing them besages 1801' the next baffle plate with a furtherreduction in particle size for ,the reasons described with reference to passages 88 and 88. The second baiiie plate acts as above described for the first baifie plate adjoining jet plate 88 to further re- The mix passing ofi' points 11 duce particle size and more intimately associa the components of the mix and so on down through the several bailie plates, it now being apparent that the number of baiiie plates used and the pressure to which the mix is subjected determine the particle size in the emulsion.

From the last of baflle plates 84 the finely divided intimately associated particles of the emulsion pass through cap 88 into pipe 8 I, through joint 82 into tank 83. From tank 88 the emulsion passes through cooling coils 88 which'reduce the temperature of the emulsion from approximately 145 F. to approximately 40 F. From cooling coils 88 the cooled emulsion is led through pipe 88 to any appropriate container 81. To insure a complete cooling of the emulsion in the container 81 it has been found expedient to remove container 81 to a cool atmosphere and there thoroughly stir the emulsion after it,has been in the container 81 about one hour.

If the preliminary breaker 88 shown in Fig. 3 is used in the embodiment of my novel jets shown in Fig. 2 it is placed as described in chamber 58 with its base 81 adjacent jet plate 88 and its point 82 extending into coupling 48. The mix under pressure'from pump 4| then first impinges upon point 82 which acts to divide the fiow of the mix and pass it over the entire surface of the cone 84. The mix separated by point 82 then flows into grooves 88 where the action of the right angled edges of bases 88 and walls 8| act to divide the mix into thin sheets and to break up the larger particles. From the groove 88 next to base 88 the mix flows in a thin sheet to the front edge of the first land 81. Here the thin sheet of mix is divided and forced through the small grooves 88 in land 81 which tend to compress and decrease the particle size. From grooves 88 the compressed particles burst under pressure into the first of a mix and so on through the several lands 81 and grooves 88 with a resulting smaller particle size and more intimate association of the particles in the mix until the mix leaves the last of lands 81 and enters the small holes 88 in jet plate 83 where further diminution in size of the particles and more intimate association occurs as above described. 8

If my novel jet 82, as described with reference to Fig. 6, is used in place of jet plate 83 and baiile plates 84 then, as described, one or more of jets 82 may be screwed into an appropriate plate at their bases 88 and the plate clamped to the end of chamber 58 by the shoulders 82 of sleeve 58. The mix in chamber 58 will then pass under pressure into chambers 88 let into bases 83-01 the jets 82. From chambers 88 the particles of the mix will be' compressed as they are forced under pressure through the passages I88 of reduced diameter. The particles of the mix pass through passages l88 and burst into cylindrical chamber 88 of larger diameter where they explode due to release of the compression to which they had been subjected in passage I88 and a mix of smaller and more intimately associated particles results. The mix is then forced under pressure past spring H3 which, due to its corkscrew shape, tends to divide themixintothinsheets andfurtherreduceparticle size. From spring III theparticles of the mixareforcedthroughm'ecnlllwhichinturn' further reduces particle size and more intimately associates 'the components of the mix. From screen II! the mix flows over the surface of the first of ball members I until it reaches the point where the ball member ill slidingly engages the surface of cylindrical chamber 05 at which point the particlm of the mix are subjectedtoagrinding between theballmember ill and the surface of cylindrical chamber as as ball member Ill oscillates or rotates therein with further reduction insize of the particles. Oscillation or rotation of ball members I It is caused by small pressure variations in the pressure of the mix which either forces ball members ill against spring Ill and compresses it or which allows compressed spring III to expand and move ball members III in the opposite direction. From the first of ball members III the mix'flows over the sides of the second ball member I I. and the particles of the mix are further reduced in size and soonuntilthelastofballmembers Ill ispassed. The mix then flows over spring i I I which further acts to divide the mix and reduce the particles tosmallersizes. Fromspring Hi themix into chamber I" and from there is forced through jet plate I". The small holes in Jet plate Ill act to compress the particles of the mix and the pressure to which they are subjected forces them through these holes from which they burst into chamber illwhere the particles explodeintosmallsizesduetothereleaseofcompression to which they had been subjected. From chamber Ill the emulsion is forced through ports I and may be conducted away to a cooler as described above.

Promthe above ewmaimlml the present invention provides an emulsor by which theparticlesiseintheemulslonmaybemgulated and homogenised: which will reconstruct milk and cream products from butter, powdered milk andwatenwhichwillpasteurise the mix bydirectheatingofanelectriccoihbwwhichthepercentagesofthetsorftheemulsionmay.

becontrollemwhichissimpleindesismcmnpact,

ofuniformoperatiohofminimumofmoving parts, and-easily dismounted for cleaning and sterilizing It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the above described embodiments of the present invention without .departing from the inventive concept thereof.

the addition of the other components of the emulsion or to heat the air above the mix while the mix is being heated and-stirred. While this invention has been described with reference to its use for recombining milk products from the several components of whole milk, such use is for the purpose of description only and in no way acts to limit the scope of the present invention. To determine the scope of the present invention reference should therefore be had to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an emulsor, a jet assembly including a jet plate having therein a plurality of small holes of enlarged diameter at the outlet ends thereof and one or more baiiie plates arranged adjacent said Jet plate at the outlet side thereof, each of said baiiie plates having holes of larger diameter than the enlarged diameter of the holes in said jet plate arranged opposite the respective holes in said jet plate and terminating at their outlet ends in constricted openings.

2. In an emulsor, a jet assembly including a preliminary breaker comprising a cylindrical base and conical top, said top having therein rectangular grooves whose sides are respectively parallel and perpendicular to the base of said breaker,

said base being circumferentlally grooved with small grooves in the lands'therebetween at right angles to edges of said circumferential grooves, and a jet plate adjacent the base of said preliminary breaker having therein a plurality of small holes of enlarged diameter at the outlet ends thereof.

JAMIE BURTON HAYB. 

